


Non-Pathfinder Adventures

by kayethespade



Series: Andrew Ryder [3]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Canonical Character Death, Developing Relationship, F/F, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Musicals, Past Child Abuse, fryder is custom, mryder is custom, only fictional musicals tho, rated for language, sleepover shenanigans, suvi is best wingwoman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 04:45:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10712448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kayethespade/pseuds/kayethespade
Summary: Who says Andrew Ryder gets to have all the fun? Aisha Ryder certainly has a good time without him.





	1. Fleet and Flotilla

Aisha looked up from the data pad she'd been reading from as Suvi arrived in the medbay with Vetra not far behind.

"Okay, what's this?" she asked with a small grin.

"Oh nothing. It's just Andrew told us your favorite movie, and we wanted to surprise you for your last night here," Suvi said. She whipped out a limited edition copy of Fleet and Flotilla.

"Oh my god. I could kiss the two of you right now," Aisha squeeled. She heard a nurse rolling in an old vid screen. "How did you-"

"I have connections. Everywhere," Vetra answered.

Aisha scooted over to let Vetra sit down next to her. Suvi took the other side, queuing up the vid with her omnitool.

"It's been six hundred years since I've seen this," Aisha laughed.

"You're not nearly as funny as you think you are. I hope you know that," Vetra teased. She didn't quite understand that she was teasing. Aisha looked down at her hands for a moment.

"Sorry about that," she muttered.

"No no, I'm sorry. That was sarcasm. Or...me trying to flirt with my technical boss's sister? I don't even know," Vetra stammered.

"Oh! Sarcasm. Sorry. That's not really something I process easily. Though, if you were flirting...I'm not all that opposed," Aisha said, laughing at herself. She tried not to look back at Vetra.

"Should I leave the two of you alone?" Suvi asked with a knowing grin.

Aisha rolled her eyes. "No! The first song's coming up, and..." The pair watched as she gradually deflated, leaning back against Vetra subconsciously.

"What's wrong?" Suvi attempted.

"Sorry, I'm so used to singing along to this, but I get if you guys aren't okay with that," Aisha answered.

Vetra started in on Heirax's portion of the first song. Aisha twisted slightly to look at her with a smirk. She took the mentor's part, though it was a bit shakier than usual given how much she was smiling. Suvi took a few peripheral parts of the first song, and the trio continued in this manner until intermission, trading off where necessary.

Aisha was breathing hard from the vocal gymnastics, but the tired grin on her face told Vetra that she was fine.

"I've never had anyone to sing along with. That was too much fun to be legal," she wheezed.

"You say that as though all the fun you've ever had was completely legal," Vetra sighed.

Aisha froze. "What do you mean by that?"

"Andrew told me that you were in a gang on the Citadel when you were younger," she replied. Aisha's fists clenched against her thighs

"I left that behind me. I could never be the person I was then. So...angry and hateful. Doing anything to get my dad to notice. See if he would care. And then enlisting to see if I could finally be something that he's proud of. Let's just say I relate to Heirax well and leave it at that," Aisha grumbled. Vetra looked into her eyes for a moment. She averted her eyes from the intensity of the turian's gaze.

"Sorry, I'm just trying to figure something out about you. The way you spoke just now was different. I'm trying to remember where I've heard it before," Vetra muttered.

Aisha took a deep breath. "I'm an N7," she said. Suvi's eyes widened for a second.

"Hmmm. It makes sense. You have a look about you sometimes," Suvi chimed in.

"I try not to be like that all the time, but sometimes it just happens," Aisha admitted.

"Wait, so you became an N7 just to get your father's approval?" Vetra asked.

"He pulled me out for launch. Right before the ceremony. I had that full armor on. I really thought I was going to make it. I was finally going to be something," she reminisced. For a moment, Aisha closed her eyes and smiled at the memory. Then with a sad sigh, she opened them again, staring straight ahead. "Funny how long that lasted."

The silence stretched for long enough that the second act began.

"You are something, Aisha. You're something amazing," Vetra whispered. Aisha look back at her with visible shock. She could hardly believe the words. The two of them launched into the spunky and fun-in-love duet of the show, right before all the drama starts to happen. None of them could sing by the last song. They were all wheezing the words and crying until the ending credits, as is custom while watching that movie among friends.

"Too beautiful," Aisha whispered. She wiped at her eyes. "God I needed that."

"Your voice is really pretty, by the way," Vetra said.

"Thanks. It's been forever since I've sang anything. I can hardly believe how much I've missed it," she replied with a bittersweet smile.

"You couldn't tell," Suvi added.

Aisha stood up and stretched. "Give me a minute. That vid's a no bathroom affair." She headed towards the back of the medbay, leaving Vetra and Suvi alone.

"I think she's into you," Suvi suggested.

"No way," Vetra muttered. "You sure you didn't try to eat another Helius plant before you came here?"

"I'm sure she could hardly keep her eyes off of you. Just trust me on this. Don't try to be too forward, but definitely show some interest. I get the feeling Aisha isn't the type to dive right in without some signal," she said.

"I'll try. Thanks, Suvi."

They heard laughter coming from the other end of the medbay. Aisha headed towards them with a confident sway of her hips.

"The walls are thin and the medbay is silent, you nerds," Aisha cackled. Vetra folded her hands in her lap, looking away from her in embarassment. She was normally so sure of herself, but Aisha's pure audacity made her a lot less so. The worst part was that Vetra was okay with it. It felt no different than flying off a cliffside and enjoying the ride down.

"I'm not hearing a 'no'," Vetra teased. Her eyes flicked up to see Aisha's reaction.

"I'm not saying one," Aisha confirmed. She popped one hip to the side and folded her arms over her chest.

"Coffee sometime? The place on the civilian deck serves dextro and levo."

"Any tea?" she asked. Vetra nodded. "This Thursday at one? Gotta get settled into my apartment and set up a few meetings."

"You're not coming with us?" Suvi interupted.

"I figured I could do more here. My brother has the rest of the galaxy covered, including Kadara from what I hear," Aisha sighed.

"Ah, yes. He has a smuggler boyfriend," Vetra said.

"A smuggler among other things. I probably need to have a chat with him at some point. Andrew told me about some of the...developments," she muttered.

"Oh boy. Wouldn't I love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation," Suvi joked.

"I'll keep it civil. I just want to make sure my brother's boyfriend lives up to the hype. And maybe put the fear of god into him a little bit," Aisha placated, cracking a few of her knuckles.

"Ooh. Reyes is in trouble. It is not good to have an angry N7 after you," Suvi mumbled.

"No shit," Vetra laughed.

"My dear, sweet brother finally finds someone he's interested in, and he's a fucking gang boss. Granted, the crew is very straight, but still," Aisha complained.

"Wait, he's gay?" Suvi asked.

"He didn't tell you guys?"

"We never asked," Vetra replied. "He keeps to himself on that type of thing."

"Gee, I can't imagine why," Aisha teased. "It can't be because the crew's as straight as an arrow. Present company and Gil excepted. Between you guys and me, Andrew doesn't want kids whatsoever, but Gil has his heart dead-set on it. Not a good combination for him."

"So what about you?" Suvi pressed.

"Same as you, really," she answered. "Dad was so pissed when he found out. I mean one gay child, Mom could see that, but two?"

"Oh wow. What are the odds?" Vetra said.

"Of course, Andrew and I were already out of the house at that point, and Mom tried to set me up with some of her friends' daughters. Said they would swoon over the daring and sweet soldier type. Mom pointed out that it worked for her, but Dad didn't think that was very funny."

"Ahh. The last of a dying generation," Vetra sighed.

"Don't I know it," Aisha said. "He tried to go all fire and brimstone on me, and Mom was like 'Can you maybe calm your tits for like five minutes?' Andrew was scared as hell, really. Understandably, given the circumstances. Mom was in decline, and he wasn't taking it well. Still, Mom wanted us not to focus on her, and my shitty brain went 'okay, let's come out to our shitty father.' You know, like you do."

"I bet your mum would be so proud of both of you," Suvi assured.

"I miss her. A lot. She's why Andrew and I play piano. She encouraged us to come to Andromeda with Dad. Take care of him for her. I hated him, but I still feel like I failed," she grumbled.

"Andrew really wants this Initiative and Remnant stuff to work out so that you can be happy someday. If he doesn't, he'll feel like he's letting you down. If I'm honest, I can relate to that," Vetra admitted.

"Well, he already has three planets at a hundred percent viability, though he's set in Havarl being for the angara. Even with that, I'm sure I'll be able to find a home somewhere with the present selection," Aisha determined with a small nod.

"He really wanted to have every possible planet at a hundred percent before you woke up," Suvi said.

"Yeah. He told me we'd already found home when he first came to talk to me. He probably didn't want to freak me out," she sighed. "At least he was honest about Dad. Old and crotchety bastard that he was, I still would've loved to kick his ass in Helius. Just once."

"You want your father alive to kick his ass. Really?" Vetra asked with a bit of amusement.

"He didn't give half a fuck about me. Just like half a fuck would be, he was completely disappointing and unnecessary. When he was there, he wasn't present. When he was present...I'd rather not say," Aisha growled. She stood up and began to pace. Her hand reached back to undo her hair from its short wolftail. In the middle of her seething, Aisha paused as she remembered something.

"Oh shit," she mumbled. "Vetra, I'm so sorry. This must seem like I'm whining-"

"Aisha, please. You're not whining. That was genuinely horrible," Vetra reassured.

"Yeah, but I at least had a mom who cared about me. Not to mention our wonderful neighbors. Turian and asari couple. Taught me how to shoot a gun and use my biotics, but that's a story for another time. Andrew told me you had no one," she ranted.

"You're right. I didn't. I took care of Sid myself. The experiences aren't comparable, Aisha," Vetra replied.

"Just because you had a support system doesn't make your father's neglect any less terrible," Suvi added.

"Thanks. I'm sorry. I get really emotional and irrational late at night," Aisha said with a nervous smile.

"Ah. Late night human sleepover custom?" Vetra asked.

"Yes. Get really emotional around midnight," Suvi answered.

"Oh shit it's midnight?" Aisha muttered. She checked the clock on her omnitool. "Yes it is."

"Should we take our leave for tonight?" Suvi suggested.

"Please do. I have to get some shuteye before the doc wakes me up at eight. Final checkups and all that," she groaned.

"We'll be heading out in the morning, but I'll be sure to tell Andrew I have business on the Nexus next Thursday," Vetra promised.

"See you then!" Aisha called after them as they headed out the medbay doors.


	2. Tea and a Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aisha has a chat with Reyes about Andrew, among other things.

The cafe was dimly lit. It didn't quite have the same charm as a bar, but the illusion of secrecy felt similar. Aisha took a long sip from her cup of green tea. Reyes Vidal sat across from her, nervously fidgeting with his hands and praying she didn't notice. Of course, she noticed immediately. For nearly every person she looked at, she assessed their body language. Any tic. Any variable.

"Thank you for meeting with me today," she began.

"The pleasure is all mine," he replied. Aisha could tell he was just naturally a charmer, but she wasn't nearly as affected as others may have been. Others specifically meant her brother, but it generally applied to many, many others.

"I'd like to get right to the main subject: Andrew," Aisha said. "I'm aware that the two of you have been dating for a few months now."

"He's amazing and-"

"I wasn't finished," she snapped. Aisha took another drink. Reyes leaned his elbows onto the table and brought his hands together.

"I apologize. Please. Continue." She couldn't quite tell if he was poking fun at her or not, but that hardly mattered to her in that moment.

"I'm also aware that you lied to my brother by omission. You brought him into Kadara's dangerous politics and set him in the literal crossfire of a gang war, yet somehow, he still fell for you. Neither of us wholly approve of your methods, but he's a lovestruck idiot. They're prone to trotting right along with the object of their affection no matter how egregious the behavior or strong the subject's moral compass. I can only blame you, really."

"I don't know how that happened," Reyes mumbled. He seemed a little too pleased with himself simply by the way his posture straightened.

Aisha tilted her head. "Cute. Well, my brother seems to think so, anyways." She refilled her tea and took a small sip before fixing her intense gaze on Reyes again.

"I would normally be incredibly unforgiving regarding some of the things you did, personally or otherwise, but the circumstances of Kadara prompted the harshness of your action. You did what you had to do to make Kadara Port safe. I can't exactly fault you for that. Not from what Andrew's told me about Sloane's miserable trajectory regarding the port and the kett. I commend you for it."

"Thank you."

She balked. "I wouldn't thank me yet. If you continue to keep him in blissful ignorance on things that directly affect him and the Initiative, I don't care how long it takes me. I will find you. And I will make you curse the day you decided to come to this god-forsaken galaxy. Do I make myself clear?" Aisha concluded.

A heavy silence stretched between them. Reyes processed her words and took a drink from his black coffee. She was unbothered. Her speech never once wavered. She stared back with a cold, sterile confidence. As though she ruled the world and everything in it. He nodded to himself. She took this gesture as tacit agreement.

"You're an N7," he said simply. Aisha smiled cruelly. "I've only ever met a few, but I know the look in their eye. You have it."

"Observant."

"Yes, but does Andrew know?"

"Yes. I told him a little after I woke up," Aisha answered. She shook her head in disbelief. "I'm a bit scared to ask, but where did you meet an N7? Wait. Several N7s."

"I was an elite pilot in the Alliance. I had the honor of following N7 units into battle with a gunship," he replied. Aisha smacked her hand to the table and pointed to him with the other, a knowing smile growing on her lips.

"Mm! Callsign Anubis." Reyes' eyes lit up in recognition.

"Yes, but how did you-"

"My preliminary biotics instructor sang your praises for the entire class. Irene Steele. Brought out a few pictures. Told a few probably exaggerated stories. I knew I recognized you from somewhere," Aisha answered. Her neutral expression melted into a brilliant grin so reminiscient of her brother's that Reyes fought to keep a somewhat subdued attitude.

"Steele doesn't exaggerate. Whatever she told you is a hundred percent true," Reyes sighed. The glint in his eye told her that it probably was as true as a soldier's story could be.

"So you seriously crashed your plane straight into a camp of batarian raiders and lived to tell the tale? Twice?" Her voice dripped with incredulity.

"What? Like it's hard?" Reyes laughed.

"Andrew owes me a hundred credits now. I swore up and down that that one was true."

"I've become notorious, it seems." Reyes popped his collar with false bravado at the though of somehow being famous.

"That you have. You have me at a bit of a disadvantage. I, sadly, am not officially an N7. Dad dragged me out right before the ceremony to get to the launch. He was a dramatic bastard," she sighed.

"How unfortunate. From what Andrew's told me, I would have loved to see you in action," he complimented. Aisha couldn't deny the brief heat that entered her cheeks.

"He has no idea about your Alliance history, does he?"

"No, I told him. Not very much, but he knows I was a crack pilot before Andromeda," Reyes said.

"Good. Keep being open with him. I can't be there to ensure it," she grumbled wistfully. She crossed her arms over her chest with a bitter smile.

"Vetra told me your implants have finally healed enough for you to operate your biotics."

Aisha demonstrated with a small, controlled spark in the middle of her extended palm. Reyes flinched back for a moment.

"Sorry. I missed it so much," Aisha sighed. "I was trained in the vangard unit. Heavy hitters, but they give the best hugs. Ever. Andrew went the sentinel route. I've never seen anyone so capable at flanking before."

"He's a sight to see. He takes a special enjoyment out of pulling enemies and then draining their energy," Reyes added.

"That's his signature. It was known to strike fear into the hearts of privates the Milky Way over. Glad it carried through. Liam's told me the crew got Andrew a piano. Does he practice?" Aisha asked.

"Yes. He has the voice an angel," Reyes swooned. She laughed at the dreamy look in his eye.

"He's comfortable with practicing in front of people now? That's cool," she muttered. Aisha appeared to look far away as she reminisced. "I remember back in high school when he would only practice when mom and I were home. He never wanted to perform in front of dad."

"Every so often, I leave a new book on his bench and dogear a few songs. Just to see what he'll do with them," he sighed. She snapped back to attention.

"Ooh! What kinds of songs have you given him?"

"Some jazz. A few old Broadway," Reyes listed.

"You know Broadway?"

"I was a musical theater kid when I was able," he admitted. Aisha grinned like the cat that had caught the canary.

"If I hadn't been trying to impress my dad, I would have trained for Broadway." Reyes' flat line mouth shattered into a dazzling grin.

"I was in a similar situation when I was a kid. It appears as though decent father figures are in short supply," Reyes joked. The words turned the brightness of his smile down a few watts.

"You said it. No matter what Andrew says, our dad didn't treat us right when we were younger." She leaned forwards onto her elbow.

"Diverting back a little, I heard from Suvi that you have a slight obsession with Fleet and Flotilla," Reyes redirected.

"And you?"

"You're kidding, right? It has some of the best arrangements I've ever seen. The stage version is on par with if not exceeds some of Earth's most iconic musicals," he gushed.

"Oh my god. You too! I may like you after all."

"I'm glad because I really do care for Andrew," Reyes mumbled, forcing a smile. She sobered slightly.

"How did you two really meet? Andrew said work, but there's always more to the story," she asked.

"It started with my being a Resistance contact. He got through his business with Sloane easily enough, but there were other outstanding issues on Kadara. Dealing with a serial murderer from angry Roekarr with me. Flushing out the main kett strongholds with Sloane. Fixing the drug problem in the slums and reactivating the vault independently. He has a way of swooping in and getting things done. I have to say, I admire that about him."

"Yeah. My brother's really come into his own recently." Aisha took a drink.

"You have to understand that he was flirting with me the entire time. I tried not to encourage him too much, but I may have flirted back a few times...or every time. I may have encouraged him more than I'm willing to admit," Reyes continued. He averted his gaze for a moment.

"I get the feeling it was mutual, but that doesn't explain how you're here now."

"I decided it was time to end Sloane's rule. Make it better for my people. He didn't stop me. He accepted me as I am, tendency for grandeur and all." Reyes leaned back from the table, though he hadn't realized when he'd leaned in that far.

Given his track record, Aisha wasn't too trusting. The markers of genuine speech were present, but she didn't put much stock in them. Anything could be an illusion. Aisha seemed to shake herself awake. Back to the topic at hand.

"And you've accepted him, right?"

"He's everything I could ever want in a man," Reyes asserted. A sweeter smile came to Aisha's face.

"I think the two of us will get along just fine," she sighed. "I have only one request."

"Whatever it is, I'll do it," he promised.

"Be with him until the end of whatever this is. I understand that the Archon is incredibly dangerous, and there are plans in place to shoot for the common goal of Meridian. I want you to fight by his side no matter what happens. Can you do it?"

Reyes nodded. "I will."

"Good." She drained the rest of her tea. "My recovery took longer than expected. I'm up and around now, but I can do more good here, where the politics are concentrated. Andrew was never good at dealing with politicians long-term. That's where I come in. As such, I need to rely on his team to ensure his safety. You can imagine the stress I'm under."

"I can. I'll do anything for your little brother," he answered.

Aisha smirked at his teasing and reached across the table to shake his hand. Reyes accepted and squeezed.

"Don't make me regret trusting you," she ordered. The playful smirk had mysteriously vanished.

"I'll protect him any way I can. I know the word of a smuggler means nothing to you-"

"That's putting it lightly," Aisha quipped.

"I'll be there with him until the end. I think this is the first time I've ever loved someone this much, and I'm not letting him go now," he finished.

"We'll see by your actions, but in the mean time, I appreciate your words. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I have another engagement to attend to," Aisha determined. She paid for both drinks quickly before walking towards another table.

Vetra glanced up as she took a seat across from her. Reyes watched from afar for a moment, unable to make out their conversation. Vetra glanced over at him once and waved him away. He smiled and raised his hands in mock surrender before heading out to the docking bay.


End file.
